Q6·CSAT · Prelims 2026

RC — Comparative Virology Analysis

Reading Comp.RC — InferenceReading Comprehension● Easy

Question

[PASSAGE] When SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in 2019, it was a truly novel virus for the world. At that time, no one in the world had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or had specific immunity against it. In contrast, people across the world have been exposed to HMPV for decades and the virus is well-studied. HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 belong to two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics and epidemiology, with strong seasonality seen in HMPV, unlike SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses cause different severity of symptoms, particularly over the long term, and the affected population segments do not fully overlap. In general, HMPV causes milder illness with deaths being very rare and with no long-term post-viral symptoms.

[QUESTION] Which of the following conclusions is/are valid?

1Though SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV are similar viruses with somewhat different epidemiology, the former became a pandemic because it was novel and people had not been exposed to it in the past.

2The two viruses have fundamentally different impacts on human populations and should not therefore be dealt with in a similar manner.

Options

1 only

2 only

Answer

Both 1 and 2

Neither I nor II

Explanation

Let us evaluate the statements based on the provided text.

Conclusion 1 is invalid: The passage states that the two pathogens belong to 'two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics', which directly contradicts the statement's claim that they are 'similar viruses'.

Conclusion 2 is valid: The text highlights that the two viruses cause different symptom severities, affect different population segments, and have distinct long-term impacts. This supports the logical conclusion that public health authorities should not treat them the same way.

Valid conclusions must align with the explicit terms used in a passage, and cannot introduce incorrect descriptive modifiers.

Question details

Year

2026

Paper

CSAT

Question

Section

Comprehension

Sub-topic

RC — Inference

Type

Reading Comprehension

Difficulty

Easy

Source hint

RC passage — epidemiology and health policy

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